Iranian Minister in Baghdad for key rail link

Shafaq News/ Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Farzaneh Sadegh, arrived in Iraq on Sunday to push forward key transport and infrastructure projects, with the Shalamcheh-Basra railway topping the agenda.

Welcomed by Iraq’s Deputy Transport Minister Hazem Radi and Iranian Ambassador to Iraq, Mohammad Kazem Al-e Sadegh, Sadegh is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Transport Minister Razzaq Muhaibis al-Saadawi, and Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari.

Talks will reportedly center on the 32-kilometer rail link connecting religious hubs in both countries, intended to serve more than 3 million pilgrims annually in its initial phase. Valued at $150 million, the project is seen as a catalyst for religious tourism and trade.

Key challenges include clearing 16 kilometers of mine-contaminated land, constructing an 880-meter movable bridge over the Arvand River (Shatt al-Arab), and upgrading the Shalamcheh border crossing.

Officials are also expected to finalize logistics for the upcoming Arbaeen pilgrimage, one of the world’s largest religious gatherings. Discussions will focus on streamlining border controls and expanding facilities to accommodate the surge in Iranian pilgrims.